Ed LenardCadottGMHOF 2002NWHOF Lifetime Service 2008

Ed Lenard was born and raised in Athens, Wisconsin. He graduated from grade school in 1961 and then moved to nearby Edgar where he attended high school. Edgar did not have a wrestling program at this time and Ed never wrestled in high school or college. After graduation from Edgar High School in 1965 Ed attended the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. His first real exposure to wrestling came in a physical education wrestling class at the university. It was in that class that Ed first met Bernie Prutz who was then the head wrestling coach at Pacelli High School in Stevens Point. Bernie needed an assistant coach so he asked Ed and he accepted the job. He went on to coach with Prutz at Pacelli for three seasons (1967-70) while still a college student. Lenard credits Prutz with teaching him the basics of wrestling and really stimulating his interest in the sport.

After graduating from the UW-Stevens Point in 1970 Ed took his first teaching job back at Edgar. He taught and coached there for three years and was head wrestling coach for the 1972-73 season. His first wrestling team did not win a match.

In the fall of 1973 Ed and his wife Pat moved to Cadott where they both taught for the next twenty-nine years. At that time A. Pat Mrotek (member of the George Martin Hall of Fame) was in his last year as head wrestling coach at Cadott. Lenard got to observe a great coach and official first hand. Ed credits Mrotek with being a fine example for a young coach. Ed feels that he learned about intensity in wrestling from watching Pat's teams and from watching Mrotek as an official he learned about professionalism and class. Lenard is very thankful to A. Pat Mrotek for nominating him for the George Martin Hall of Fame.

Ed was junior high coach at Cadott from 1975-80. He then decided to take a break from wrestling as he was also head football and track coach. At that time he was also finishing his master's degree in physical education for UW-La Crosse. He completed his degree in 1980. Ed was head football coach at Cadott for 21 years and head track coach for 20 years. His girl's track team won the WIAA Division 3 State Championship in 1994 and 1997.

By 1984 the wrestling program at Cadott had gone through a lot of changes and was not doing very well. Lenard took over as head coach in 1984. Ed vividly remembers his first practice when there were eight boys out for the team and three of them were in the same weight class. Ed knew that it would take a lot of hard work and perseverance to build the program back up again.

Since 1984 the Hornets under Lenard have experience great individual success. Over the past eighteen years they have qualified forty-two times for the individual state tournament in Madison. Thirty-five times Ed's wrestlers have placed at state including two state champions and four runner-up.

Teamwise, it was a slow steady climb back to respectability for Cadott. Between 1984-97, while the Cloverbelt Converence was split into divisions, the Hornets won four Western Cloverbelt Conference Championships. Since 1997, when the conference combined into one for wrestling, Lenard's teams have captured four Conference Dual Meet Championships and two Conference Tournament Championships. Cadott also won the prestigious 34 team Northern Badger Wrestling Classic in 1999 and 2000.

In recent years Cadott has had great success in the WIAA Tournament Series. Since 1996 Cadott has won six Regional Championships and three Team Sectional Championships. The Hornets qualified for Team State for three consecutive years from 2000-02. In 2001 Cadott won the WIAA Division 3 Team State Championship.

In 1997, 2000 and 2001 Lenard's peers voted him District Coach of the Year. In 1999 he coached in the Minnesota-Wisconsin Wrestling Classic. Last spring Ed retired from teaching at Cadott but is continuing as head wrestling coach. He is also starting his first term as District Representative for the WWCA.

Ed would like to thank his great assistant coaches, Pat Rothbauer, Jim Mlsna, and Clayton Gindt for all their hard work and dedication. Thanks to A. Pat and Doreen Mrotek and Bill Nye for all their help. Special thanks to Nancy Mlsna for her many contributions to Cadott wrestling. Lenard also wants to thank his wonderful wife Pat, for all her support and tireless promotion of wrestling in school and the community. Finally Ed wants to thank the Cadott Wrestling Club, the many great parents, and all the hard working, dedicated wrestlers that helped to make this all possible.